Holi at the Reading Hindu Temple

Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, commemorates the victory of good, peace and love over evil. It also heralds the bright arrival of spring after a dull winter, and on Saturday 18 March the Hindu Temple in Whitley Street burst with joyful colour as children in richly bejewelled costumes performed music and dance to an enthralled audience.

The children charmed us with assured performances, ranging from a delightful address on education, vibrant and colourful Bollywood routines to traditional and graceful Indian balletic sequences, echoing the theme of the playful Krishna, as well as the comedic two-timing husband… and of course the eternal path of love. The evening culminated in an extraordinary dance performance by a diminutive three year old girl.

I would like to thank Dr Ashok Khare, chairman of the temple, and the entire congegration for their warm hospitality, and most especially Ranok, dance teacher extraordinaire, who explained each performance to me. It was a wonderful evening of joyous and spontaneous entertainment.